Dreamstate
by x.Miss.Attention.Span.x
Summary: When Buffy is plunged into a long, strange dream brought on by a demon, will she finally realise the feelings hidden deep down in the depths of her own brain? Buffy/Faith


"Good night girls, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite!" Joyce called out two her two daughters as she headed upstairs to her room "and don't forget to actually get some sleep tonight". The girls both waved a hand at her absentmindedly, focused on the TV.

Tonight was sister's movie night, a time honoured tradition in the Summers house hold. Their mother would often join them, to make sure no fights ensued, but they where both older and more mature now and tonight she was just too tired. So Dawn and Buffy settled in, popcorn in a large bowl between them on the couch and a stack of movie's piled high upon the coffee table. The blonde yawned loudly, trying to keep her eye's open a little longer.

She'd spent most of last night hunting down some horrible demon, even into early that morning, and then spent most of the day researching it. But it was good and slayed now, leaving only a pile of soft brown sludge behind. The blonde smiled, she loved the ones that hardly left a trace. Although some of it had splashed up onto her cute summer sandals and oozed all over her perfect skin. She'd spent an hour scrubbing it off, trying to make sure every last drip was gone.

They'd never found out what it actually did though. It killed people, yea, and it was some kind of demon. I had some weird power though, but Giles had never figured out what. Didn't seem to matter anymore though, since the thing was dead, but her watcher had insisted he'd keep researching and find out what it was. And that left her free to worry about Faith's arrival.

She sighed heavily, trying to keep her thoughts on the pictures moving across the screen, but they kept going back to the other slayer. Would it be awkward? Her coming back to Sunnydale now, to stay. Things between them had… been on shaky ground, to put it lightly, the last time they had spoken. Buffy had resigned her grudge against the other girl now, slightly, but she was still unsure about how she felt about it. About Faith really. But she wasn't supposed to be thinking about that right now, she was supposed to be relaxing and having a good time with her little sister.

"Mkay, next one, my choice" Dawn grinned as she pulled herself up and hurried towards the TV with a new movie in hand. Buffy smiled as she watched the small brunette, so excited, but she could hold in a loud yawn as yet another wave of tiredness rolled over her. The younger sister looked up, rolling her eyes at the other girl.

"Fine Buffy, just go to bed then" she muttered before pressing play and heading back over to cuddle up on the couch again. The blonde blushed, shaking her head. A time honoured tradition! She couldn't break it because she felt a little tired. Besides, how tiring could a movie marathon be anyways? Sitting back under a cosy, warm blanket and staring at a bright screen and moving pictures telling a story… Within ten minutes she was almost asleep, eyes closed and senses almost fading. She could still hear the noise of the TV, make out the voice's of the characters, feel the blankets wrapped around her, but it was all getting fuzzier.

"Mmm… maybe I'll just, call it an early night. Sorry Dawnie, next weekend?" she asked with a small smile as she pulled herself up, swaying slightly as she tried to stand up straight. Her younger sister nodded, not really paying attention, and continued to watch the movie indifferently as the blonde began to climb the stairs.

She heard a half hearted 'night Buffy' called out distractedly from the brunette and smiled. Just a couple more steps and she was in her nice, dark, quiet room. And then a few more to her comfortable, inviting bed. She pushed her bedroom door open softly and stumbled in, eyes still not quite fully open. She managed to get to her bed without tripping over anything lying haphazardly across her floor and crawled beneath the sheets with a broad smile.

It was a good thing she was already wearing her PJ's for her and Dawn's movie session, all she had to do was hop in and close her eyes. She reached a hand blindly across to find Mr Gordo, and once she had the stuffed pig wrapt tightly in her arms she could finally drift off for a peaceful nights sleep.

The warmth washed over her, soon she felt herself sinking right down into her bed till she felt she was hardly there at all. The noises off the house disappeared, she could no longer hear the faint sound of the TV or Dawn snorting with laughter, the creak of the tree's or the rustle of their leaves just outside her bedroom window, not even the winds low howl echoing down the Sunnydale streets. She was disappearing into dream land. Going, going, gone…

_Welcome To Dreamland__…_

Buffy spun around, watching the dress swirl and swish as she went, expanding out like a big balloon in a bright red circle around her and then collapsing back down to fall around her legs as she slowed. She usually wore such soft, subtle pastels. This dress was so vibrant and bright, and it stood out even more so against her pale back ground of white and light blue. She extended one leg to admire her strappy, black high heels and grinned. She took a tentative step forward, and let out a heavy breath in relief as she found the cotton candy cloud did not give way beneath her.

The blue of the sky was perfect, clear azure, and the clouds where soft, fluffy and untinged white like cartoon sheep. If this was heaven, she was liking it, but she wondered where the golden gates where. The place seemed empty. Maybe she was the first to make it?

"Welcome Buffy" came a booming British voice, seemingly coming from all around her at the same time and echoing through the sky loudly in the owner's prim and proper tone. The blonde froze, and raised both hands above her head worriedly, as though she where being arrested. The anonymous voice chuckled at her in amusement and Buffy groaned. That voice sounded familiar, amused and yet condescending at the same time.

"Giles?" she asked, but the word hardly escaped her mouth before the clouds beneath her split to form a hole in it's soft, white expanse. The blonde's eyes widened, her arms reaching out desperately as she began to fall slightly delayed, like in a cartoon. Her scream was lost in the roar of the wind as she fell, squeezing her eyes tightly shut and clenching her fists in preparation for impact. With a groan she landed on something flexible, bouncy and reasonably soft that sunk slightly as she hit it with a thud.

"Owww… thanks Giles" she muttered angrily as she opened her eyes. She was in her bedroom, the faint, bright yellow light of coming dawn filtering through the thin white curtains. She raised a hand to her head, checking for any mysterious bumps. There didn't seem to be any, yet. She opened her eyes cautiously, looking up to find the roof above her perfectly in tact. She frowned and sat up, looking around. Her room looked the same as it always did as far as she could tell, but something about it felt different.

"Buffy! get your ass down here" came a loud, irritated call from down stairs. The blonde sighed, rising to her feet and dusting off her dress hurriedly before heading towards the cause of the sound. The carpet felt silky soft beneath her bare feet, and much more stable than the clouds. The house seemed the same, except for a display of abstract paintings down her hall, which seemed longer than she remembered.

The hall seemed to have no end, a long rectangle stretching on forever. With a sigh Buffy stopped and tilted her head to the side slightly, looking at the paintings. The first one that caught her attention seemed to be about balance she decided. Half the painting was dark and the other was light, and in the centre was a symbol resembling ying and yang. She smiled, reaching up her hand to trace the gold frame holding the painting before moving on.

The next had a small card down the bottom that read 'have a little Faith in me'. The blonde grinned, looking back up. She had to turn her head on an angle, and then look at it from the other way till she finally saw it. It was a picture of two girls, a blonde and a brunette, holding up a golden cross. Suddenly, from all around her came a hoarse whisper. The words where to soft to hear, bringing with them a cool breeze that swept through the house. As she looked back up, Buffy found she was at the end of the hall already, standing at the top of the stairs.

Waiting for her down by the front door was Dawn, wearing the fairy costume she'd had for Halloween when she was eight. The blonde grinned, surprisingly it still fit her sister quite well. The younger girl glared up at her impatiently, holding onto a pumpkin shaped bag and tapping her foot.

"Nice look Dawnie, but aren't you a little young for that?" Buffy giggled as she reached the bottom step, hands on her hips as she surveyed the brunette with an amused grin. Dawn rolled her eyes and turned around to start heading out when Willow came hurrying in from the kitchen, Tara by her side. The two scurried over to Dawn, smiling at her like parents and telling her how adorable she looked. The red head grinned up at Tara in that proud mother way and leaned up to kiss her girlfriend, causing the younger girl before them to cringe and make vomiting actions jokingly.

"Now you look after you sister Buff, and have fun on your date" Willow piped up, looking over at the blonde and smiling encouragingly. Tara looked over to the eldest of the Summers sisters as well and nodded. Dawn opened the door and began to walk out when the red head caught her by the arm and held her up, looking back to Buffy as if expecting her to do something.

"Come on Buffy, I'm gunna miss my Halloween party!" her little sister whined, stamping her foot down angrily as tears formed in the corner off her eyes "you always do this" she cried and pulled out of Willow's grasp to start storming across town. The blonde giggled, she looked like a pink version of Tinkerbelle when she got angry with Peter Pan. Both Tara and Willow looked back at the blonde sternly, with disappointment in their eyes, shaking their heads at her before heading out after the younger girl and shutting the door behind them. The blonde gaped at the closed door in surprise and confusion.

"What date?!" she asked the empty room, looking round helplessly. From behind her she herd the back door slam open, a gust of wind rushing through the empty house, breaking the silence. She could hear the whispers coming, carried of the breeze. Swallowing loudly the blonde reached forward and opened the front door, looking back warily as she stepped through.

_Is it still me that makes you sweat?  
Am I who you think about in bed?  
When the lights are dim and your hands are shaking as you're sliding off your dress?  
Then think of what you did  
And how I hope to God he was worth it. _

As she turned back around, the slayer found herself in the bronze. The music was pumping loudly, voices heard but not understood in the din as people tried to shout above the music too each other. She looked round, trying to spot someone she knew. Up the back she could see Cordelia, Angel and Harmony sitting round a table, sipping their pink cock tails and exchanging gossip.

_When the lights are dim and your heart is racing as your fingers touch his skin.  
I've got more wit, a better kiss, a hotter touch, a better fuck  
Than any boy you'll ever meet, sweetie you had me  
Girl I was it, look past the sweat, a better love deserving of  
Exchanging body heat in the passenger seat?  
No, no, no, you know it will always just be me_

She smiled and walked over, the sea of moving bodies parting as she walked through, her red dress billowing as she went. Harmony looked up as she arrived, smiling at the other blonde till she saw Cordelia glaring at her.

_Let's get these teen hearts beating. Faster, faster  
So testosterone boys and harlequin girls,  
Will you dance to this beat, and hold a lover close?  
So testosterone boys and harlequin girls,  
Will you dance to this beat, and hold a lover close_

"What do you want?" the queen C asked as she stared down her nose a Buffy, leaning forward slightly so that her thin black top gaped open at the front. The blonde blinked and looked away, focusing her gaze instead upon Angel. He grinned at her, cheek's flushed and lips a warm red, and pulled at the collar of his salmon shirt coolly. Buffy giggled down at him before turning around to face the crowd again.

_So I guess we're back to us, oh cameraman, swing the focus  
In case I lost my train of thought, where was it that we last left off?  
(Let's pick up, pick up)  
_

_Oh now I do recall, we were just getting to the part  
Where the shock sets in, and the stomach acid finds a new way to make you get sick.  
I hope you didn't expect that you'd get all of the attention.  
Now let's not get selfish  
Did you really think I'd let you kill this chorus?_

The people dancing had no faces, they where blurred and out of focus even when she tried to look at them. She looked up to the stage, this band was good. She smiled and waved as she recognized the lead guitarist. The short red head looked over at her, nodding coolly but making no real expression as he strummed out the chords. A bunch of giggling girls stood at the side of the stage, reaching up towards him, desperate just too touch him. He paid no attention though, reaching up to straighten out his collar with effortless cool. It was the lead singer that caught her attention though.

_Let's get these teen hearts beating. Faster, faster  
So testosterone boys and harlequin girls,  
Will you dance to this beat, and hold a lover close?  
So testosterone boys and harlequin girls,  
Will you dance to this beat, and hold a lover close?_

The blonde started away from the table, walking slowly down into the centre of the dance floor, surrounded by the moving bodies of all those around her. Each stepper seemed to echo louder as she filtered out the sound of the other people. The only thing left was her and the band.

_Dance to this beat  
Dance to this beat  
Dance to this beat_

Let's get these teen hearts beating. Faster, faster  
Let's get these teen hearts beating. Faster

Her eyes connected with the singer, pale olive green and dark chocolate brown meeting in an intense gaze that didn't waver as Buffy continued to approach. The blonde hardly breathed, the heat radiating off the people around her starting to surround her. Her heart was thudding in her chest as she reached the edge of the stage.

_I've got more win, a better kiss, a hotter touch, a better fuck  
Than any boy you'll ever meet, sweetie you had me  
Girl I was it, look past the sweat, a better love deserving of  
Exchanging body heat in the passenger seat?  
No, no, no, you know it will always just be me_

Buffy smiled, entranced as the singers dark lips smiled back at her in a cocky smirk. It felt like she was the only on one on the floor. Everyone else began to fade away.

_Let's get these teen hearts beating. Faster, faster  
So testosterone boys and harlequin girls,  
Will you dance to this beat, and hold a lover close?  
So testosterone boys and harlequin girls,  
Will you dance to this beat, and hold a lover close?_

The singer ran her tongue over her lips. Heat rushed to Buffy's cheeks as she blushed.

_So testosterone boys and harlequin girls  
Dance to this beat  
So testosterone boys and harlequin girls  
Dance to this beat  
And hold a lover close  
Let's get these teen hearts beating. Faster, faster  
Let's get these teen hearts beating. Faster_

The song finished, though the lyrics still spun round inside the blonde's head as she looked up, hands sitting upon the edge of the stage. The singer smiled, placing the mike back in it's hold and sitting down beside the blonde on the edge of the stage, before sliding off. That cocky smirk returned again as she offered Buffy her hand.

"Well I'm glad you made it to our date B. I was starting to think you chickened out".

_Reality…_

"Hmmm…" Giles muttered to himself, flipping forward through the pages of his book till he came to an abrupt stop. His eyes scanned down the page, reading over the information quickly through the thick lens of his glasses. His brow was furrowed in concentration as he read over it another time, reaching up to place his finger on the page as his expression lightened.

"Uh huh!" he announced happily to an empty lounge room "Albtraum traumdieb, German, off course… nightmare…." he muttered to himself as he got up, making his way to the kitchen without once glancing up as he set about making himself a hot cup of tea "dream thief…".

_Dreamland…_

_It's like Disney land, but much weirder!_

Buffy blushed. So this was her date. Faith grinned, moving forward and placing her hands firmly on the other slayers waist as she began to dance. After a moments hesitation, the blonde began to dance as well, moving her body to the music as the band started up again. So when Willow had said date, she just meant friend date, hanging out in a non-romantic way she told herself. They where probably going slaying after. She settled down a little, though her heart was still pounding in her chest. With a smile she slung her arms round the brunette's neck as she got into the rhythm. Faith gave her a smoldering look that sent shivers down the blonde's spine and moved a little closer to they where brushing up against each other, bodies touching and heat radiating.

"Drink?" Faith asked calmly, pulling away a little bit. Buffy nodded, any excuse to be away from the other girl. As soon as the other slayer was gone the dance floor filled with people again and the blonde shuffled through them, making her way towards the bathroom. As she reached the rest room door she found Anya standing in the way, smiling like an idiot at everyone who passed her by. As Buffy approached she waved cheerfully.

"Hey An, mind if I go in?" the slayer asked, reaching past the ex-demon for the door knob but Anya shook her head, stopping the other girl with a firm hand. Buffy looked up at her, eye brows raised and found she was now Xander.

"Sorry Buff, no can do. It's under construction. Not everything's ready yet" he told her, pushing the blonde back and puffing up his chest in a manly way "you gotta learn patience girl" he laughed, patting her on the head. The blonde pouted and walked away, deciding to go out the back door for some fresh air instead. It was getting crowded and hot inside the bronze as the place started to pick up and more people squeezed in to the little room left. With a heavy sigh Buffy pushed open the back door and stepped out into the fresh night air.

"Quick, Buffy, catch!" came an excited voice, as the owner hurled a stake at her. Caught off guard, the blonde only just managed to grab the stake before it was thrust into her chest, and spun around to find a vampire charging her. With lightening reflexes she reached out and stabbed the small, sturdy piece of wood into the monsters heart.

In a blast the creature turned to dust that caught in the light breeze and flew straight onto the blonde, covering her dress in a soft brown film. Buffy groaned, looking back up to glare at whim ever had called out to her. Giles grinned, standing on top of one of the grave stones and looking down upon her. His hair was messy though, his shirt dirty and hardly tucked in with a jacket rapped round his waste carelessly. Buffy groaned as she walked past, reaching up to push him with ease so that he wobbled and well onto his back with a thud.

"Oww!" he shouted, lying on the dew covered grass and frowning up at the figure of the slayer as she walked off.

"Get over it Ripper" she called back as she rounded the corner, shivering in the cold of the night. Her dress didn't have sleeves and she hadn't thought to bring a jacket. The wind was growing, making the delicate girl shiver as it's cold crept through her and chilled her to the blonde. The Sunnydale streets where empty, fear was in the air. Up in the only lit window of the hospital on the corner, Buffy could see the silhouette of two people fighting with crotches. She laughed and continued through the town, the place seemed almost deserted except for small remnants of life.

The high school, which was now long gone had been re-built, and was now in disrepair again. It looked so haunting, now so high tech and modern looking a building, but covered in graffiti, windows smashed, doors broken or ripped clean of their hinges, movement inside that unsettled the blonde as she passed. She quickened her pace, hurrying back towards her house as fast as she could. As she neared her street she saw a young couple, strolling down the side walk hand in hand as though they couldn't see the destruction around them.

Buffy stopped, peering at them as they came closer. The girl was smiling up at her boyfriend, her short brown hair in two plaits swinging back and forth as they walked. The guy was grinning, his gaze focused down the street and he squeezed her hand. She frowned, furrowing her brow to look at their faces.

"I love you Phoebe" he whispered as they came to a stop outside on of the houses, leaning down to kiss her softly. Phoebe blushed, kissing him back, and grinning as he pulled away.

"I love you too Cole" she muttered before slowly stepping back up each step one by one, holding onto his hand for as long as possible before she it slipped between her fingers. Buffy shook her head '_I've been watching too much Charmed_'. It was a pity Cole had to go evil, and the Charmed ones had to vanquish him. But he never stopped loving Phoebe, even after that, even when he was dead. She sighed and walked up to her front door, pushing it open tiredly. She just wanted to go to bed and never wake up again.

Walking in to the dark, empty house and looking up the steep, mountainous stairs Buffy frowned, instead turning and heading towards the dining room, through to the kitchen and then the door way on the left into her bedroom. The light was off, and she didn't bother to turn it on as she walked in. Doing her best not to wake anyone who could be in the house, she tiptoed in across the carpet, shedding her dress as she went and letting it pool onto the cream carpet like a vibrant rose in the soft moonlight. With a groan she climbed up the ladder to her bunk and slipped beneath the covers.


End file.
